MOSCOW, June 5 Central Election Commission of Russia together with The Ministry of Justice signed a joint letter that clarifies the procedure for conducting checks on participants in election campaigns to determine whether they have the status of foreign agents and involvement in terrorist and extremist organizations, said CEC Chairwoman Ella Pamfilova.
«As for the checks, on May 29 a joint letter was signed by the Central Electoral Commission and the Ministry of Justice… In this joint letter we ask, we talk about checks for the presence of foreign agent status or involvement in the activities of extremist or terrorist organizations,» said the CEC chairperson.
Pamfilova clarifies that the letter agrees on the forms of submissions from election commissions to the territorial bodies of the Ministry of Justice and responses on the results of checks.
“»Checks will be carried out at the elections of candidates at all levels of members of election commissions, proxies of candidates, proxies of candidates of electoral associations, authorized representatives, observers, donors to the election funds of parties and candidates,» she clarifies.
The joint letter was sent to the election commissions of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and territorial bodies of the Ministry of Justice.
Pamfilova explained that the letter agreed on the forms of submissions from election commissions to the territorial bodies of the Ministry of Justice and responses on the results of inspections. Checks will be carried out against candidates for elections at all levels, members of election commissions, proxies of candidates and electoral associations, authorized representatives, including on financial issues, observers, donors to the election funds of parties and candidates.
In May, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law prohibiting foreign agents from participating in elections at all levels, as well as acting as observers and proxies of candidates. We are talking about elections to federal and regional government bodies, to public authorities of the federal territory, as well as to local government bodies.